Sleeping- oar



(No Model.) v i H. M. NEPF.

' SLEEPING OAR. I

Patented Apr. 17,1883.

3 Sheets-Sheet 1.

No.Z75-,935. J

WITNESSES (No Model.)

H. M. NEFP. SLBEPINr OAR.

3 Sheets-:Sheet. 2.

4 WITfiE iS:

id mm Y l/ A 4 4/ 49 HT J 1C INVBNTOR ATTORNEYS.

3 Sheets-Shet 3. H. M. NEFF.

SLEEPING GAR.

(No Model.)

Patehtd Apr. 17,1883.

ATTORNEYS."

NITED STATES HARRY M. NEFF, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

SLEEPING-CAR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 275,935, dated April 17, 1883. Application filed December 12,1882. tNo model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY Mussna NEFF, of Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado, have invented a new and Improved Sleeping-Oar, of which the followin g is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a new and improved sleeping-car in which the berths and seats can be folded very compactly, so as to occupy but very little space when not in use, which berths and seats'can be erected very easily and rapidly for use.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which si'milar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure l is a cross-sectional elevation of my improved sleeping-car, showing the back view of the folding chair. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the same, showing the side view of my improved folding chair. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the same. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail longitudinal elevation of the vertical hangers and the vertical bars on the side of the car, showing the hangers folded against the bars. Fig.5 is alongitudinalsectional elevation of the same, showing the canvas-roller and the curtain. Fig. 6 is a detail front elevation of the sliding bars and hooks for holding the canvas-rollers when the canvas is unrolled. Fig. 7 is a detail longitudinal elevation of the same, parts being broken out and others shown in section. Fig. 8 is a detail front elevation of one of the vertical hangers, showing the tracks on which it is supported, the bolt for looking it in position, and the devices for operating the bolt. Fig. 9 is a longitudinal section of the bolt. Fig. 10 is a detail rear view of the middle of the folding chair. Fig. 11 is a detail cross-sectional elevation of the same.

The support for the bedding and bed-clothes for each berth consists of a piece of canvas, A, attached at one end to a roller, A, journaled in a vertical frame or bar, B, fixed to the side of the car, the other ends of the said sheets of canvas being attached to horizontal plates or strips D, attached to vertical hangers O, which are provided at their upper ends with rollers or buttons a, which run on tracks 1), secured to transverse beams b, aboutsix or seven feet above the car-floor, which rollers or butbeams b can extend all the way across the car or only to within a short distance of the mid die. In the latter case they must have stops at the ends to prevent the rollers or buttons to from running off the tracks I).

Gross-braces G, which are pivoted to each other at the point of intersection, have their lower ends pivoted to the lower ends of the vertical fixed and .movable frames B and O, and at their upper ends they are provided with pintles, which pass through vertical slots 0 in the frames B and O, which permit folding the frames 0 against the frames B. The said braces stiffen and strengthen the frames O when the same are drawn outward from the frames B.

For the purpose of releasing the pivots of the rollers A from the greatstrain, I have pivoted a plate, E, having a hook-shaped or beak-shaped cross-section, and extending the entire length of the roller, to the side of the car, above each roller A. When the frames 0 are drawn out and the canvas sheets A are unwound from the rollers A the beak-shaped plates E are lowered to grasp the rollers, as shown at the left-hand side of Fig. 1, whereby the strain of the canvas will not be transmitted to the pivots of the rollers A, but will be received by the beak-shaped plates E. The beak-shaped plates E are pivoted to connectingrods E, which are pivoted to a vertical sliding bar, F, held on the inner surface of the side of the car, and provided in one edge with a rack, d, which engages with a cog-wheel, F, which can be rotated by means of a key or a fixed handle, F A ratchet-wheel, d, is mounted on the same spindle with the cog-wheel F, with which ratchet-wheel d a pawl, d engages. A bolt, G, is held to slide vertically in a box, G, at the upper end of each vertical hanger O, and the said bolt is connected by means of a connecting-rod, G with a fulcrum-plate or hinge-plate, G which is connected by means of a rod, G with a disk, H, at the middle of the upper horizontal strip D, which disk H is provided with a handle, H, on the outer surface of the strip D for turning the said disk,

which handle can also be used for drawing the berth-frame outward. The bolt G, at the other end of the berth-frame, is connected with the disk H in the same manner as described above, whereby, by turning the handle H in one way, the bolts G will be driven into corresponding sockets or recesses in the beams b, whereby the berth-frame can be locked in position either drawn out or folded against the wall. A curtain, I, is attached to the upper horizontal plate or strip 1) and to a roller, 1, journaled on the side of the car at the same height as the lower edge of the upper horizontal plate or strip 'D, whereby when the movable berthframe is drawn outward the curtain I will be unwound, and will be drawn under the upper canvas sheet A, so that the person in the lower berth cannot see the under side of the canvas sheet of the upper berth. The front of the lower berth can be closed by a curtain, J, which is attached to aroller, J, journaled in the lower part of the upper horizontal plate or strip D. The upper berth can be closed by a curtain, J attached to a like roller journaled in a similar manner to the outer ends of the beams b. The ends of the berths can be closed by curtains 1 attached to vertical rollers K, held to the sides of the car.

The chair is formed of a base-frame,L, which is pivoted by means of a pintle, L, to a circular track, M, secured on the car-floor, on which track the chair can turn and which track forms a support for the chair. The seat proper is upholstered, and the upholstery rests on a frame, M, which is pivoted at e to the front of the frame L to permit of swinging the seat upward and plaoingthe bed-clothing 850., within the said frame L. The arm-rests are each formed of a U-shaped frame, N, pivoted to two standards,N, at the side of the seat, which U-shaped frame is providedat the ends of its shanks withrecesses, into which small projections f on the inner surface of the upper ends of the standards N are adapted to pass for the purpose of holding the U-shaped frame N in a vertical position. Pivots g pass through the ends ofthe shanks of the frame N, through the upper ends of the standards N, and through springs 0, attached to the outer surface of the 7 standards N, whereby the lower recessed ends of the outer surface of theshanks of the frame N will be pressed against the upper ends of theinner surface of the standards N, whereby when the frame N is either raised or lowered it will be locked in one positionor the other automatically. The arm-rest frame N is to be upholstered the same as the seat of the chair. The back-frame P of the chair has its lower end mounted on a transverse shaft, P, passing through the upper ends of the inclined parts of the back legs, M, of the chair, which shaft is provided at one end with a handle, P, for turning it, on which handle is mounted a toothed disk, Q, which fitsinto corresponding toothed apertures in disks R and S, attached respectively to the seat and to the back of the chair. The disk Q. is pressed into the apertures of the toothed disks R and S by a spring,

S, attached to the back of the chair, and having its other end resting against a fixedcollar, s, on the shaft 1?. The back of the chair is also upholstered.

A head-rest frame, T, covered with canvas or other suitable material, is pivoted at its lower end to the upper end of the back of the chair, or to arms or angular projections at the upper end of the back ofthe chair, and it can be locked in the desired position or inclination by means 'of thumb-screws U, passing through the upper part of the back of the chair and the lower part of the head-rest frame T.

The operation is as follows: When the berths are not being used the hangers or frames G are folded up against the frames B,and are locked in position by means of the bolts G. If the berths are to be used,they are to be unlocked, and then drawn out to the ends of the beams I), the bed-clothes having been removed from the chairs, and the chairs folded down, whereby the canvas sheets A will be stretched, as shown, and the curtains 1 attached tothe vertical rollers K, will be unrolled. The frames are then looked in position by means of the bolts G,and the beak-shaped plates E are lowered over the rollers A by turning the key F in such a manner that the bar F will move downward, causing the connecting-rods E to. swing the plates E down over the rollers A,

whereby the rollers will be held and supported. The bedclothes are taken from. the frames L of the chairs and placed on the upper and lower canvas sheets, A, of the berths, and the berths will then'be ready for the occupants. If the back of the chair is to be folded down to permit of drawing out the berthframes, the toothed disk Q is drawn from the disks R and S, and then the back is folded down as much as may be desired, and the handle P is released,.-whereupon the spring S presses the toothed disk Q into the toothed recesses of the disks R and S, and thus locks the back of the chair in the lowered position. The arm-rests N are also swung down. The head-rest Tcan be adjusted as may be desired.

The advantages which my above-described sleeping-car possesses over others are the reduced costofmanufacture, operating, and keeping in order, the increased comfort offered by day, as the berths, when folded, occupy a minimum of space in the car, and thus give plenty of space for the revolving and recliningchair, the ease with which the bedding and. fixtures can be kept from vermin, and the ease with which the car can be ventilated and kept cool in summer. The berths may be used in steamers as well as in the cars. In place of the canvas sheets, any other suitable material may be used.

The above-described folding chair must be used with theberths, as the berths, when erected for use, occupy the space which is generally occupied by the chair. For that reason the chair must be made folding.

In place of pillows, air-cushions can be used, which are inflated before use.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 7 1. The beams b,carrying angle-arms, in combination with the hangers carrying rollers a, and the tracks on which said rollers travel, as and for the purpose described.

2. The combination, with the frames B, having slots 0, and thehangersO, of the pivotedand cross-pivoted braces 0, having upper end pintles passing through said slots, as and for the purpose specified.

3. The combination, with the rollers A, of the beak-shaped plates E, pivoted to the sides of the car and adapted to grasp said rollers, as and for the purpose specified.

at. The combination, with the pivoted plates E, of the pivoted rods E, the sliding rack-bars F, and the cog-wheels F, adapted to be rotated by a fixed handle, as and for the purpose specified.

5. The combination,with the hangers G, having boxes G at the upper end, of the socketed beams 12, the bolts G, the rods G the hingeplates G the rods G, the disk H, and the handle H, as and for the purpose specified.

6. The combination, with the base L, of the frame M, pivoted at e to the base L to allow the seat to be swung upwardly, as and for the purpose specified.

7. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the canvas sheets attached to the side of the car, and to vertical frames adapted to be moved to and from the side of the car, of rollers or hangers at the upper ends of the said frames, and of tracks upon which the said .rollers or hangers run, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose forth.

8. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the canvas sheets attached to the side of the car, and to vertical frames adapted to be moved to and from the side of the car, of

set

hook-plates adapted to pass over the rollers when the canvas sheets are unwound, and of devices for raising and lowering the said hookplates, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

9. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the fixed frames B, the frames 0, adapted to be moved to and from the frames B, and the horizontal plates or strips D, of the sheet A, the roller A, and the curtain I, attached to the upper plate D and to a roller on the side of the car, substantially as-herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

10. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the fixed frames B, the vertical frames (1, adapted to be moved to and from the frames B, and the horizontal plates or strips D, of the canvas sheet A,the rollerA, and the curtain J, attached to the roller J, journaled on the plate D, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

11. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the fixed frames B, the vertical frames 0, adapted to be moved to and from the frames B, and the horizontal plates or strips D, of the canvas sheetA,the roller A, and the curtains attached to the frames 0 and to vertical rollers K, journaled on the sides of the car, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

12. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the frames B and (l, of the rollers A, the canvas sheets A, the hook-platesE, the connecting-rods E, and the vertically-movable bar F, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

13. In a sleeping-car berth, the combination, with the frames B and O, of the rollers A, the canvas sheets A,the hook-platesE, the connecting-rods E, the vertically-movable bar F, provided with the rack d, the cog-wheel F, the ratchet-wheel d, the pawl (1 and the key F substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

14. In a sleeping-car berth, the combina' tion, with the frames B and O, of the roller A, the canvas sheet A, the horizontal plates or strips D, the bolts G, the connecting-rods G and G, the fulcrum-plates G, and the disks H, provided with the handles H, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose'set forth.

15. In a sleeping-car, the combination, with the seat-frame L, of the standards N, provided with projections], the U-shaped hinged armrcsts N, provided with recesses in the lower. ends of the shanks, the pivots g, and the springs 0, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

16. In a sleeping-car, the combination, with the seat-frame L, of the hinged back P, the shaft P, carrying the toothed disk Q, and the disks R and S, attached respectively to the seat and back, and each having atoothed aperture, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

17. In a sleeping-car, the combination, with the seat-frame L, of the hinged back P, the shaft P, carrying the toothed disk Q,thedisks R and S, attached respectively to the seat and back, and each having a toothed aperture, the spring S, and the fixed collar 3 on the shaft P, substantially as herein shown and described, and for the purpose set forth.

HARRY MUSSER Witnesses:

E. M. HERR, M. E. HERE. 

